Jayfeather's Forbidden Love
by Berryfern
Summary: Jayfeather finds out his forbidden love is having his kits, and now it's a struggle to keep the secret safe. But what happens when one of the kits goes missing, and the only way to get him back is to reveal the secret?
1. She's Expecting My Kits?

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY PART OF THE WARRIORS SERIES, NOR DO I CLAIM TO!**

**Just to let everyone know, in my story, Jayfeather isn't blind. I found it difficult to write a story with a main character who is blind, so I changed that bit of him; Instead, Hollyleaf's death was Leafpool's punishment.**

Jayfeather turned his face toward the WindClan border, and a cold wind buffeted his fur. He quickly looked away, aware of the foreboding the moorland held. But it meant much more to him than that. His eyes sparkled as the starlight glistened on the tears welling in them. He stood, shook his fur as if to shake away the thoughts, and padded back to camp.

He was making his nest when a hiss came from behind him.

"Who's there?" He whipped around to face the cat behind him.

The only response was breath hot on his ear, whispering, "Shh. Come with me, Jayfeather. We need to talk." He recognized the voice at once, and slipped out the hole in the back of his den to follow the scent.

When they reached a part of the forest where the trees clustered close together so no one would hear them, the she-cat spoke again. "Jayfeather, I came all this way to see you, and now I have something to tell you." There was a hint of a purr in her voice, and she rested her tail on his shoulders.

"Go on," he meowed. The she-cat took a deep breath, and then purred,

"I'm going to have your kits." Jayfeather jumped back and fixed his blue eyes on her.

"What! Cinderheart, how could you do this!" His fur bristled as he stared at where he sensed her, shock in his eyes.

"How could _I_ do this!" He felt waves of anger and sadness flowing off her as she snarled at him. Then all he felt was sadness and affection, and he nearly melted from the inside out. "Jayfeather, this is just as much your fault as mine, but you love me, right?"

"Of course." Jayfeather knew immediately that he meant it, and Cinderheart nuzzled him, purring.

"I love you, too. I thought you'd be happy that you'll be a father." There was confusion and pain in her mew, and her voice cracked on the last word. He felt her warm tears on his shoulder, and he tried to comfort her.

"I am happy that I'll be a father. It's the best feeling in the world, but," he searched for the right words, and then continued, "I'm a Medicine Cat. I'm only angry because of the path my paws were set on, not because I'm the father of your kits." His mew was gentler and sweeter than ever before as he spoke to his forbidden mate.

"What will I tell Lionblaze?" Cinderheart's voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and panic flooded over him. Lionblaze was Cinderheart's mate.

"Have you tried for kits before?" Jayfeather desperately wanted her to say "no," but he knew that the answer had to be yes, or they'd have to come up with a plan to make Lionblaze think the kits were his.

"No." His mind started whirling, and he couldn't think straight. "Calm down, Jayfeather. You can't think straight when you're like this." Jayfeather focused his mind on trying to solve the problem at paw. "You need to mate with Lionblaze." Jayfeather winced when Cinderheart leaped back, her fur bristling.

"What! Why?" Jayfeather took a step toward her, and she hissed at him. "You don't want these kits? You think mating with him will make them his? Well it won't, and these kits want you, whether you want them or not."

"No, I want these kits, but if you mate with Lionblaze, then he'll think they're his." Jayfeather was nearly knocked off his paws by the waves of relief and love coming from his mate.

"You're right! Oh, thank you, Jayfeather!" She nuzzled him, and the two cats padded back to camp together, managing to slip back in through the hole in the back of the medicine den without being noticed.


	2. Act Like A Father, Jayfeather

Jayfeather woke to the sound of Cinderheart mewing to Lionblaze outside the medicine den. He guessed it was nearly dawn, and they had slipped into the space between the Nursery and his den to speak.

"I want to bear your kits, Lionblaze." Cinderheart's whisper sounded troubled, but determined. Jayfeather guessed she almost couldn't bear the thought of mating with any other cat besides her forbidden love.

"I don't think it's time, Cinderheart." Lionblaze sounded genuine, but Jayfeather guessed there was more to it than that.

"Why not? Don't you love me?" Cinderheart's whisper was taut and crisp, although Jayfeather knew she could blow the secret anytime now.

"Of course I do!"

"Then father my kits!" Jayfeather could hear the fake anger in his mate's voice, and he hoped Lionblaze wouldn't.

"All right. Let's slip out of camp now." Jayfeather heard the two cats make their way out of the dirt place tunnel and into the forest.

He laid down in his nest and placed his tail over his nose and beckoned sleep to come; he'd much rather sleep than think about what his mate and Lionblaze were doing…

Jayfeather woke to the sound of birdsong, and he stood up, shaking scraps of moss from his pelt. He stared out into the clearing with his sightless eyes, and then proceeded to check the herb store to make sure they weren't out of anything they might need soon.

Then Cinderheart's scent wreathed around him and he turned around to greet her.

"Good morning, Cinderheart." Jayfeather did his best to keep the affection out of his mew, and so did Cinderheart.

"You too, Jayfeather." Then she added in a lower voice, "Our plan worked." Jayfeather nodded.

"I heard you two talking this morning." He felt shame and embarrassment flooding from his mate.

"I almost couldn't go through with it. The whole time I was thinking about you, and I hardly refrained myself from pouring the secret out to Lionblaze…" She hung her head, and as Jayfeather was about to speak, she slapped her tail across his mouth and whispered, "Hazeltail."

Cinderheart turned and left the den as Hazeltail entered.

"Hello, Hazeltail. What can I do for you?" He smelled dried blood, and Hazeltail held out her paw for him.

"I trod on a thorn on the dawn patrol." She mewed. Jayfeather sensed that this wasn't the only reason she was here. He felt waves on confusion and anxiety flowing off her. He pulled the thorn out of her pad and sniffed at her paw.

"Lick it." He heard Hazeltail's tongue rasping over her paw as he fetched some marigold and a pawful of cobwebs. He chewed up the marigold and spit it onto his paw and gently rubbed it onto Hazeltail's pad. Then he laid the cobwebs over it and sniffed at her paw to make sure the cobwebs were in place.

"There," Jayfeather mewed. "You need to stay off it for a while, so no patrols or hunting. You need to rest." He felt waves of joy and something else he couldn't quite detect flowing off of her, and then she asked,

"Can I stay in here?"

"Sure," he responded. She brushed past him, and when their fur touched, he was sent into Hazeltail's mind.

_Hazeltail touched her nose to Jayfeather's ear._

"_I love you," she whispered. Jayfeather nuzzled her affectionately, and his mew came out as a purr._

"_I love you too. I can't wait until you have my kits." The two cats twined their tails together, and as they padded back to camp, the vision faded until he was returned to his dangerous, worried reality._

The vision had taken only a couple heartbeats, and Hazeltail had just settled down into her nest in the den. Jayfeather finished sorting through the herbs, and then he padded over to the fresh-kill pile. He picked out the plumpest vole on the pile and finished it in a few famished gulps. He walked over to the nursery and poked his head in.

"Just coming to check in on you." A kit had been found in the forest a few days before, and with no queens yet nursing, he was forced to try to wean the kit, although he was unsure if it would work. Hopefully the kit could just last until Poppyfrost had her kits.

"Oh, I'm doing fine, Jayfeather. I'm a bit hungry, though." Jayfeather felt tiny, thorn-sharp teeth sink into his tail, and he whipped around to face the cat who dared do that. But his anger melted away when he realized who'd bitten him.

"Flamekit! Get over here and quit pestering Jayfeather!" He heard Flamekit's tiny pawsteps as he scampered over to his mother. "I apologize, Jayfeather."

"It's all right." Jayfeather could sense that Ferncloud was confused at his odd behavior. Normally he would've snapped at the little kit for being in his fur. But now that his forbidden mate was expecting his kits, he seemed like a softer, gentler cat. "I'll have one of the apprentices bring you some fresh-kill."

He turned and padded out of the den, passing Blossompaw on the way.

"Would you fetch some fresh-kill for Poppyfrost?" He heard a snort of resentment from the snooty apprentice.

"Why? Can't Daisy get her some?" Jayfeather pushed his face closer to hers until their whiskers brushed.

"She's busy, and you're not. You need to listen to me or I'll let your mentor know you don't listen to the medicine cat and you'll be on elder duty for a moon! Now go fetch her the plumpest piece of prey from the fresh-kill pile!"

He heard her embarrassed pawsteps as she shuffled over to the fresh-kill pile, and Cinderheart watching him from a distance. She stood up and padded past him, whispering into his ear as she passed.

"If you're going to be a father, you need to be more patient and act like one."


	3. Poppyfrost's Kits

A few days passed, and as he was on his way to the elders' den to check them for ticks when he heard an excited buzz passing around the camp. Ferncloud bounded over to Lionblaze and Cinderheart sitting a few fox lengths away, and Jayfeather managed to pick up some of the conversation.

"…It's going to be great sharing a den with you, Cinderheart!" Jayfeather realized quickly that Ferncloud was referring to Cinderheart expecting kits. She had told Lionblaze, and he must've boasted to his Clanmates.

Lionblaze spotted him, and he bounded over to him and began to mew excitedly.

"Did you hear? Cinderheart's having my kits!" Jayfeather wanted to wipe the smug look Lionblaze had right off his face by telling him they were _his_ kits. He knew that Lionblaze was rubbing the fact that he could have kits in his face; the two cats had been arguing lately, so it didn't surprise the medicine cat.

"Congratulations. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." He padded away and slipped into the hollowed-out tree trunk the elders slept in.

"Hello. I'm here to check for ticks." He made his way over to Mousefur with the mouse bile and began checking her fur. Then he moved on to Longtail after ridding Mousefur of her ticks, and then on to Purdy.

"Well, I'm finished here." He headed out of the den and made his way across to the medicine den to double check his herb store. Icecloud passed in front of the den, and Jayfeather raced after her.

"Icecloud! Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure." He heard her pawsteps as she padded back over to him.

"I need some more daisy leaves-I'm out. Mousefur has been complaining lately, and I'll need more before she asks again or she'll be madder than a fox in a fit." He heard a snort of amusement, and then she began to pad away toward the thorn tunnel.

"Sure, Jayfeather." The thorns rustled as she left, and then a cat burst into the clearing, racing right for Jayfeather. He recognized the scent, and already knew who it was before he spoke.

"Jayfeather! It's Poppyfrost; she's having her kits!" Berrynose's meow came out as gasps as he tried to breathe.

"All right, keep your fur on. I'll be right there." Jayfeather headed to the medicine den and took the herbs he needed over to the nursery.

When he entered, Berrynose and the other queens were gathered around Poppyfrost.

"I need all of you except Ferncloud out so I can work." Daisy, Cinderheart, and Berrynose left the nursery, and Ferncloud scooted closer to Poppyfrost. "I need you to just comfort her, all right?" Ferncloud nodded, and Jayfeather placed his paw over Poppyfrost's flank.

"I think there's two. Poppyfrost, it's time." He felt a ripple pass through her body as she pushed out a tiny kit. "Nip the sac and lick it, Ferncloud." He kept his paw on her flank as the queen cared for the kit, and he felt Poppyfrost's breathing grow shallower. Suddenly, Ferncloud's breath was hot on his neck.

"Is she all right?" He looked around for the kit she had been caring for and found it next to Poppyfrost.

"Move the kit away from her. She might start having spasms, and we don't want the kit crushed. Stay here with her while I get my herbs."

He pushed his way out of the nursery and made his way to his den. Inside, he grabbed some iris petals, narcissus flower petals, and the little bit of blessed thistle he had and raced back over to the nursery. He crushed the iris petals and encouraged Poppyfrost to eat them. She got them down, and he moved on to chew up the narcissus petals and coax Poppyfrost to eat them.

Her breathing became stronger and less shallow, and she became calmer. He noticed that she had delivered the last kit. Then he gave Poppyfrost the blessed thistle, hoping it would keep her heart going and save her life. A final shudder passed through her body, and then she went limp.

"Ferncloud, I need you to tend to that kit." He laid down next to Poppyfrost and matched his breathing to hers, and awoke in a green field. He realized with a jolt that this was StarClan's hunting grounds. He searched for Poppyfrost, and found her speaking to a StarClan cat, Spottedleaf.

"…It's not your time." Spottedleaf looked up to see Jayfeather. "Oh, Jayfeather, you're here! Take Poppyfrost back to the camp."

"But I want to see Honeyfern before I go!" With a sigh, Spottedleaf bounded into the trees and returned with Honeyfern.

"Poppyfrost!" The she-cat's eyes darkened with grief as she padded over to her friend and touched noses with her. "You shouldn't have died. Those kits need you!"

"I'm not dead, I just needed to see you before Jayfeather took me home." She nuzzled her littermate and then blinked. "Okay, let's go home. Good-bye, Honeyfern!"

Jayfeather padded along with Poppyfrost back to the hollow and settled her down in her nest in the nursery, and she went back into the waking world.

When Jayfeather woke up, Poppyfrost was licking her kits next to him, and Ferncloud had left to give Berrynose room to see his mate.

"Thank you for saving Poppyfrost, Jayfeather!" Berrynose was next to his mate, with waves of relief and thankfulness flowing off of him. Jayfeather nodded and turned to Poppyfrost.

"Have you named them yet?"

"Yes. This one's Cherrykit," she pointed to a little she-cat, "and this one's Molekit," she motioned to a little brown tabby tom.

"Those are wonderful names, Poppyfrost." Turning to Berrynose, he added, "Let me know if anything happens with Poppyfrost." He turned and exited the den and felt waves of pride coming from both Leafpool and Cinderheart. He padded back to his den, and Cinderheart followed.

"I feel safe knowing you'll deliver my kits when the time comes," she purred. Jayfeather nuzzled her, and he was overwhelmed with pride and happiness, not from Cinderheart, but himself.

"I'm so happy I'll get to be with you when my kits are born." The two cats stood together, purring, until he scented Leafpool approaching. He jerked away and hissed, "Leafpool!"

Cinderheart padded out of the den, and Leafpool entered.

"I'm so proud of you." Jayfeather normally would've been annoyed and bitter, but now he realized that no matter what, a parent will always love their kits, and the thought of being a father had softened him up.

"Thanks. I can only do it thanks to you, anyway." She purred, and Jayfeather cherished her pride like an apprentice cherishes their parents' praise. Her scent faded after she left, and he could tell everyone was settling down to sleep.

As he curled up into his nest, he thought about how his kits would feel when they found out who their real parents were someday in the future…


	4. Jayfeather's Punishment

A little over a moon had passed since Cinderheart had told Lionblaze she was expecting, and Jayfeather was getting ready for her to have the kits. She was going to have two kits, and he desperately hoped all of his kits were healthy, but in the back of his mind, he knew that one wouldn't be perfectly healthy. That would be his punishment for breaking the warrior code, and having kits.

He sighed as he rounded up iris petals, narcissus petals, and some blessed thistle he'd been collecting in case StarClan decided to try to take Cinderheart from him. He scented Daisy, and she entered the medicine den a few moments later.

He heard a gasp as Daisy dropped the feverfew he'd asked her to fetch.

"What are you preparing _those_ for!" She raced over to him and sniffed at the herbs he was wrapping to save for Cinderheart. "Those are the herbs you gave Poppyfrost when she was dying! You think Cinderheart might die?" Jayfeather shook his head.

"I don't know. I'd just like to be ready if something does happen so I'm not scrambling to find the herbs and wasting precious time." He was telling part of the truth, but he was really preparing it in case he had to save his forbidden love from death.

"Oh." Daisy sounded more relaxed as she picked up the herbs she'd dropped and put them with the rest of the feverfew.

"Thanks, Daisy." Jayfeather sniffed at the last of the poppy seeds he had; just enough to ease the pain if Cinderheart needed them. He tucked them away too, and grabbed the dead herbs in his jaws to take them out of camp.

Then he dropped everything.

It was Cinderheart.

She was having her kits.

He raced back to the medicine den, grabbing the herbs he had prepared earlier, and nearly tripped over his own paws as he ran to the nursery.

As he slipped inside the nursery, Cinderheart let out a low moan.

"Is she all right? What's going on?" Lionblaze's frantic mews were clogging Jayfeather's mind.

_They're not your kits! Quit worrying!_ He wanted to wail the words aloud, but he kept his jaws shut.

"I need everyone out except Daisy and Ferncloud." He waited until only he, Cinderheart, and the two other queens were in the nursery.

"Cinderheart, you're going to be fine. Just breathe and focus on delivering the first kit, okay?" He heard a grunt of acknowledgement from Cinderheart, and he felt a ripple pass through her body as she delivered the first kit.

Daisy nipped open the sac and began to lick the kit to warm it up. He heard his kit take it's first, raspy breath.

"Okay, Cinderheart, now focus on the second kit." Another ripple passed through her and the second kit slithered out onto the nursery floor. Ferncloud immediately began to take care of the kit, and Jayfeather checked that Cinderheart was okay.

Then he heard a gasp.

It was Ferncloud.

"Jayfeather," her mew was scared and grief-stricken.

"W-what?" He was afraid of what Ferncloud had to say as he scooted closer to her.

"It's the second kit. She's only got three legs." Jayfeather stiffened and looked at the kit. She was right. Only three legs. She was missing her front left leg.

He let out a low wail and he nosed his kit. She let out a tiny squeak and he felt a pang of sympathy and affection for the kit at once.

"Is there an open wound where her leg should have been?"

"No. There's no sign that there was ever supposed to be a leg there in the first place." Jayfeather felt a little relieved. This kit would live.

"Then she'll live." By now, Cinderheart had propped herself up with her forelegs and was licking the first kit. She gasped as Jayfeather nudged the little she-cat toward her.

"My kit! What's happened to my kit!" At the sound of his mate's voice, Lionblaze thrust his way into the nursery, nearly crushing the tom that was straying away from Cinderheart.

"Lionblaze! Be careful or you'll squash a kit!" Jayfeather snapped at him. He felt Lionblaze's resentment, and then his shock as his eyes rested on the she-cat with three legs.

"What happened!"

"She was born that way, but she'll be fine. There's no open wound, so she won't need any herbs." Jayfeather was already short-tempered with all the questions.

He checked on all the cats in the nursery and then made his way into the clearing.

"Jayfeather, how'd it go?" He recognized Icecloud's mew as she spoke.

"The mother and both kits are healthy, but," he paused to take a deep breath, "one kit has something wrong with her." He heard Icecloud gasp as he spoke.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She… she only has three legs." Icecloud's pelt brushed his as she raced past him to the nursery.

By now the news was passing through the whole Clan. Jayfeather curled up in his nest and sobbed himself to sleep.

Jayfeather sat in the medicine den, listening to the news spread about the tiny tabby she-kit born to Cinderheart.

"What will happen to Twigkit since she can't walk?" Foxleap had mewed.

"She'll grow as a regular kit and train as a regular apprentice! What did you think would happen-we'd kill her?" Jayfeather had snapped. "Come on, just because warriors use their teeth and claws to fight doesn't mean they don't need to use their brain."

He got up and padded over to the nursery where a crowd was beginning to form. Cheers came from the cats crowding around, and Jayfeather managed to push his way to the front.

There, standing on three wobbly legs in front of him, was Twigkit.

She looked up at him with round blue eyes and let out a tiny mew, and Jayfeather couldn't stifle his purr.

"She's been practicing her walking for a little while now." Jayfeather jumped at the sound of Cinderheart's voice.

"Er, that's great. The sooner she gets used to three legs, the better. I think she'll be able to train as a regular apprentice if she keeps this up." Cheers erupted behind him, and a triumphant yowl came from his brother.

"Go Twigkit!" Sootkit's voice brought his attention back to his handicapped kit who was walking to the other side of the nursery. He smiled and felt another purr rise in his throat, then he returned back to his seriousness. He turned to face the crowd.

"I know this is all very exciting, but shouldn't most of you be out hunting for the Clan or on a patrol? Give Cinderheart and her kits some space." He shooed the other cats away and then gave his kits a few affectionate licks before anyone noticed.

When he exited the den, Lionblaze entered, purring. Jayfeather sighed and gathered himself for the meeting at the Moonpool. He set off, leaving Lionblaze to purr over the kits he thought were his.


	5. Jayfeather Visits Hollyleaf

He met Littlecloud on the way to the WindClan border, and Mothwing and Willowshine were waiting on the border with Kestrelflight. The six cats made their way to the Moonpool, and Jayfeather let his paws slip into the ancient paw prints left by the cats who lived here before him.

When they reached the Moonpool, Jayfeather and the other cats settled down to lap a few sparkling droplets.

_Jayfeather awoke in a grassy field glittering with stars. He rose to his paws and searched for any familiar faces. At once he spotted a black cat eating a squirrel all alone by a tree stump. The other StarClan cats shot glares and weary glances at her as they passed._

_Jayfeather padded over to her and sat down. The she-cat looked up at him, startled, until she realized who he was._

"_Jayfeather!" Her green eyes glistened and stars danced in her fur as she spoke to him._

"_Hollyleaf, it's great to see you. Why do all the StarClan cats ignore you?" He saw her face fall and she pushed her prey away._

"_None of them believe I deserve to be here since I killed Ashfur. I-I tried to explain to them that it was to keep the secret safe, but they still don't welcome me. The only reason I'm here is because I'm so loyal to the warrior code. Dark Forest warriors wouldn't accept me." Her eyes glazed with grief and sadness._

"_You're a great cat, Hollyleaf-"_

"_I don't want to be here! Everybody looks at me like I'm Tigerstar! Like I'm evil," she wailed as another cat passed, shooting her a glare._

_Jayfeather didn't want his sister to suffer here. She was supposed to be carefree and have fun. He stood and looked around at the StarClan cats._

"_You know, Hollyleaf only killed Ashfur for the sake of her littermates. And since Ashfur isn't here, he must be in the dark forest, therefore, Hollyleaf has ridden the living world of another evil cat!" Jayfeather hissed._

"_Well, killing automatically makes you an evil cat," one of the StarClan cats cried out._

"_So if you kill on accident, you go to the Dark Forest? I understand Ashfur's death wasn't an accident, but Hollyleaf did it for me, my brother, our mother, and our mother's sister. I can't sit here knowing my sister is in horrible misery in StarClan! It's supposed to be where cats are forgiven, not punished! And I suppose you think Hollyleaf doesn't deserve love, huh? Well, why not?" Jayfeather looked around the clearing, challenging any cat to oppose him. When no cat spoke, he continued._

"_And on another note, why did you have to punish my kit?" he heard a gasp from Hollyleaf and a few other StarClan cats as if they hadn't known. "I'd gladly take her deformations for her. Take away my leg, my ears, my life, anything, but please just give my daughter the one leg she's missing." His mew came out as a whimper, and a single tear dropped into the grass._

"_I'm sorry, Jayfeather," it was a golden furred she-cat who spoke. Her body was lithe and spotted, her fur sleek and shiny, "but your daughter shall be punished for you. We cannot control what happens in the living world, only the unborn."_

"_But Leopardstar, surely you've had kits? You don't want to see them suffer, do you?"_

"_No, but I never broke the warrior code by having them. Now you must be punished." After Leopardstar had finished speaking, Jayfeather threw his head back and wailed at the top of his lungs, grief-stricken for his tiny kit he loved so much._

He awoke as a huge clap of thunder boomed from the clouds above. He noticed the other cats had awoke and were sheltering under the rocky cliff beside the Moonpool. He looked up and saw that the moon was still high in the sky, and that they'd been awoken early.

As soon as he'd made his way under the rocky outcrop, he realized all the cats were yawning.

"Why don't we sleep under here and get some rest?" The other cats nodded in agreement, and they all huddled close together to keep warm as they all drifted into an empty sleep.

Jayfeather woke when Willowshine stirred next to him. He sat up and yawned, stretching his legs and preparing for the walk home.

The medicine cats padded along in silence along the WindClan border until they said good-bye. There was an awkward silence between the ShadowClan cats and Jayfeather until Littlecloud spoke.

"I heard Cinderheart's had a kit with a little deformity. Is it true?" Littlecloud looked over at him, clearly sympathetic.

"Yes. The kit's only got three legs. But she's already walking and standing, so I think she'll manage."

"Just make sure she doesn't get lazy and loose hope. If she does, she may end up like Wildfur." Jayfeather had heard of the cat in ShadowClan that had his backbone broken like Briarlight.

"I know. I'm going to keep her busy, I promise. I won't let her die." Jayfeather knew he wouldn't let her die. She was his, and he had to take care of her.


	6. Lionblaze Knows Your Secret, Jayfeather

By the time he had reached the entrance to camp, he heard cheers from inside. He shouldered his way through and found his three-legged kit climbing up the fresh-kill pile. She managed just fine with three legs, or so it seemed. She could stand, walk, and climb. Maybe there was hope for her after all.

"Jayfeather! Look! Twigkit's climbing!" Cherrykit had bounded over to him, Molekit on her tail.

"Yes, it's wonderful. Why don't you go climb with her? But be careful not to knock her over!" he called as the kits charged away to climb with Twigkit.

Lionblaze was watching him through narrowed eyes. Jayfeather pushed into his thoughts, and he found himself seeing images of Leafpool and Crowfeather, and then the three of them all trudging through the snow after they were born. The final image was of Brambleclaw, shocked and angry, after he found out about his former mate's betrayal.

Was Lionblaze wondering if these kits were actually his and not his brother's?

Jayfeather felt Lionblaze push the thought away and turn his attention on Sootkit, who was huddled by the nursery wall, looking downcast and jealous of his sister's attention.

"Sootkit, why don't you go play with the other kits?" He heard Lionblaze mew softly to his kit.

"Twigkit gets all the attention! I don't want to be over there. I want people to notice _me_, and cheer when _I_ climb the fresh-kill pile!" Sootkit's protests were barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

"Don't sulk over here and make your sister feel bad. It's not her fault she's like this. She needs to do things like this to exercise her legs so she can be a warrior and train like a regular apprentice. I bet she'd feel better if you were cheering her on and being supportive."

Jayfeather looked back over to the fresh-kill pile, and Twigkit was standing on the top, looking at her brother with sad eyes.

"Sootkit, why won't you play with me?" Her little mew sounded like a squeak, and she turned her body to be facing him. Sootkit looked at Twigkit, and then to Lionblaze.

"I don't know, but I wanna play now!" He leaped to his paws and raced across the clearing, bounding up the pile in a few jumps.

"Whoa! You're good at climbing! But I wanna try jumping now!" Jayfeather could hardly watch as Twigkit prepared to jump. She bunched her muscles, wiggled her haunches, and sprang. She landed on all three legs at the base of the fresh-kill pile.

Cheers erupted around him as Lionblaze and Cinderheart raced over to their kit, showering her in licks. Again, Sootkit looked downcast.

"I jumped, too." No one even paid attention to the little gray kit. He slumped his shoulders and padded slowly back to the nursery and slipped into the empty den. Jayfeather followed him, feeling sympathy for his kit.

When he entered the nursery, Sootkit was sitting with his back turned to Jayfeather, sobbing.

"Sootkit, it's wonderful that you can jump." He saw the kit start a little at the sound of his voice, and he turned around.

"No one else seems to think so. Why is Twigkit so special?" Sootkit's green eyes glistened, and Jayfeather saw Hollyleaf reflected in them.

"Well, she's only got three legs, so everything is harder for her to do than you, which is what makes everyone cheer. If she had four legs, there wouldn't be crowds or cheering, you'd all be equal."

"Really? So if I just go beg StarClan to give her the leg she's missing, everything will be normal?" He saw Sootkit's eyes glisten with hope, and Jayfeather hated telling him the answer.

"No," Jayfeather meowed. "But soon everyone will get past her disability and she won't be so," he looked for the right words, "special."

"Oh." Sootkit looked up at him. "You think I'm special, right?"

"Of course I do." Jayfeather suddenly felt eyes boring into his back as Sootkit bounded away.

"Hi, Lionblaze!" Sootkit's cheerful mew made Jayfeather stiffen. He turned around, and Lionblaze's eyes were glazed with anger.

"We need to talk-now." Lionblaze stalked away and out the entrance to camp. Reluctantly, Jayfeather followed.

Once they were out in the forest, Lionblaze rounded on him.

"You mated with Cinderheart!" Jayfeather felt anguish and sadness flowing off him, but it was hidden by rage.

"We've loved each other for a long time, Lionblaze. I never meant to steal her from you, let alone have kits with her." His brother was still stiffened with anger.

"I loved her! And you took her away! If they had really been my kits, Twigkit would have all four legs!" Jayfeather realized with a jolt that Lionblaze had unsheathed his claws.

"Lionblaze, let's talk this out, not end it with teeth and claws-"

"Jayfeather, in my right mind I wouldn't ever kill you, but now… I don't know what will happen." Jayfeather stiffened with horror as he saw Lionblaze bunch his muscles and bare his teeth. His blood-hungry eyes were fixed on Jayfeather's neck.

With all his courage, Jayfeather forced himself to move. He sprung to the side as Lionblaze leaped, and his brother hit the forest floor, but Lionblaze was to fast for Jayfeather.

Jayfeather was pinned under the weight of his brother in heartbeats.

"P-please, Lionblaze! Don't do this!" Jayfeather was desperate and Lionblaze put his teeth to his throat.


	7. Firestar's Ill

Suddenly, Lionblaze's weight was shoved off him.

Jayfeather looked up, astonished, to find Cinderheart battering Lionblaze with her hind paws, though they were sheathed. He sparang to his paws and flicked Cinderheart on the shoulder with his tail and she stopped attacking Lionblaze. She stayed on top of him, though, to keep him from hurting Jayfeather.

"You fox-hearted mange pelt!" Lionblaze spat at him. Cinderheart looked up at Jayfeather.

"How'd he find out?" Jayfeather sighed.

"He overheard me talking to Sootkit. He asked if I thought he was special like all the other cats thought Twigkit was special, and I guess something about the way I responded made him understand." Cinderheart looked into Lionblaze's burning green eyes.

"I should have told you. But Jayfeather and I never wanted this to happen. We tried to forget each other, but…" Cinderheart trailed off.

"We aren't mates anymore! And I'm going to tell the Clan about this!" Jayfeather gasped, and so his forbidden love.

"Lionblaze, remember what happened to Hollyleaf. She cracked under the stress, and she killed Ashfur." Jayfeather remembered too late that Cinderheart didn't know this tad of information.

"She _what_!" Jayfeather began to explain what happened, and Cinderheart just nodded as if she understood.

"So, Lionblaze, she killed, and then she died trying to escape the mistake she made. I saw her in StarClan, but she said the only reason she was admitted in was because the Dark Forest wouldn't take her. Lionblaze, they _will _take you." Lionblaze relaxed and stared at his brother.

"Jayfeather, I'll keep this secret-but _only_ because you're my brother." He shot a hateful glare at Cinderheart, and she got up, releasing him.

The three cats walked back to camp together. Lionblaze caught some prey and Jayfeather gathered some herbs on the way back so that they didn't look suspicious.

As soon as Jayfeather entered the camp, a Clan meeting was just beginning.

"We gave gathered here to name two new warriors. Dovepaw, Ivypaw, step forward." The two apprentices stepped forward.

"Dovepaw, you saved the Clans when you warned us about the beavers, and saved many lives when the tree fell. From this day forward, you shall be known as Dovesong. StarClan honors your courage and willingness." Jayfeather saw Ivypaw's shoulders slump and her eyes burn with frustration when Firestar mentioned Dovesong saving the Clans.

"Ivypaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Ivyleaf. StarClan honors your determination and battle skills." Ivypaw's eyes shone with excitement and Whitewing's eyes were lit up with pride.

But Jayfeather's eyes darkened when he heard Firestar have a bought of coughing. Leafbare was here; he wouldn't be surprised if Firestar had greencough, maybe even whitecough.

The crowd had broken up and Cinderheart headed to the nursery, shooing Sootkit and Twigkit in too. Lionblaze glared at her as he walked over to he fresh-kill pile and picked out the plumpest vole. He stalked away to eat alone.

Jayfeather sighed and made his way up to Firestar's den and peeked in. Firestar was coughing again.

"Firestar, I'm just here to check on you. You seem to be coughing a lot. Are you feeling feverish?" Jayfeather felt his leader's forehead with a paw. The skin seemed to be burning under his pelt.

"I'll be right back." Jayfeather hurried out into the clearing and found Lionblaze.

"Lioblaze, will you help me collect my catmint?" Lionblaze was reluctant after the recent incident, but he nodded and followed his brother through the thorn barrier. They raced to the old abandoned twoleg nest on the edge of the territory.

Jayfeather caught a scent on the breeze. He shrugged it off and kept going for the Twoleg nest.

He and his brother stopped dead when they reached the slight hill overlooking the twoleg nest. The scent he had smelled earlier was stronger than ever.

_ShadowClan!_

Jayfeather stared in astonishment at the ginger tom stealing his catmint. Then Lionblaze sprung, the cat crumpled beneath him as the weight buckled his knees. Jayfeather jumped down to collect the catmint into a pile and then return to face the thief.

"Who are you?" Lionblaze growled through bared teeth. Jayfeather recognized the flame-colored cat at once.

"Lionblaze, get off him."

"What! He's a th-"

"He's a medicine cat!" The ginger tom looked up at Jayfeather, clearly guilty that he as a medicine cat had been stealing.

"I-I'm so sorry, Jayfeather. Sh-ShadowClan needs it, but I didn't think you'd g-give us any since catmint's so precious during leafbare." The cat looked small and fragile, laying on his back in the brush.

"Flametail, you could've asked me. What's happened?" Flametail's eyes widened as he asked.

"W-well, B-Blackstar's sick, and he's only got one life left. Our catmint has been used up for another cat, and she feels really guilty. Please, Jayfeather, can you spare a bit for ShadowClan?" Flametail's eyes were pleading.

"Of course! Does he have greencough or whitecough?" Jayfeather queried.

"Whitecough, but it's really close to becoming greencough." Flametail looked desperate, so Jayfeather gathered enough catmint for him to hopefully cure Blackstar's illness.

"If you need more, I have just a little left to spare."

"Oh, thank you, Jayfeather! I thank you for all of ShadowClan!" Flametail gathered the herbs and raced back onto his territory and into the pine forest.

"Why'd you let him have some?" Lionblaze was bristling.

"Because that's what medicine cats do. We help each other. Now help me gather these herbs so I can start treating Firestar before he gets more ill!" Lionblaze helped him in silence, and they padded back to the hollow.

"Put these away for me," Jayfeather separated the herbs into two piles, "while I take these to Firestar." He made his way up the rocky slope and into Firestar's den.

"Oh, thank you, Jayfeather, but surely another cat will need those more than I do?" Jayfeather shook his head.

"I have plenty, Firestar. Half the Clan could get sick and I'd be able to cure all of the cats." Firestar ate the Catmint, thanking Jayfeather after he'd finished them.

"I'll come back again tomorrow at dawn to give you some more." Jayfeather nosed his way out of Firestar's den and into his own. He curled up in his warm nest and fell into a deep sleep.


	8. Firestar's Turn For The Worst

Jayfeather woke to the sound of coughing coming from the warriors den. He rose to his paws and entered the den, searching for the source of the coughing. Sandstorm's body have a massive heave and another bought of coughing started.

He prodded her with a paw to wake her, and she looked up at him, bewildered.

"Jayfeather? Why are you waking me?" Jayfeather motioned for her to follow. They slipped out of the den and into the medicine den.

"I think you're sick. Let me check." He placed a paw on her forehead, and then her chest. Her breathing was raspy and her pelt was burning. Without a word, Jayfeather headed into the back of his store to fetch the catmint.

Sandstorm gasped, but she ate the herbs he'd laid out for her, along with some honey to soothe the throat.

"Why don't you stay in here so you don't get your Clanmates sick?" Hazeltail had left just a couple sunrises before. Her wound had become infected and so she had to stay longer. During that time, Jayfeather had felt very uncomfortable. She was always making subtle hints that she loved him, and he found it hard to enter his own den at night.

"All right, Jayfeather." She settled down into a fresh nest of moss. "How's Firestar?"

"I don't know yet. I'm going to check on him right now and give him more catmint." He bundled up the catmint he'd need and headed for Firestar's den.

As he slipped inside, Jayfeather heard Firestar let out a massive cough and he saw a ball of phlegm with speckles of blood mixed in.

Jayfeather gasped with horror.

"What's wrong, Jayfeather?" Firestar's mew was hoarse and raspy, and the leader looked frail and weak. Jayfeather guessed he couldn't leave his den for the weakness, nor would Jayfeather permit him now that he'd seen this.

"Firestar, you're very ill. You've got… Blackcough…" Jayfeather saw the leader's eyes widen and his jaw drop. "I'll try the best I can to save you, but it's unlikely to work." He separated the catmint and gave Firestar a huge bundle. The leader ate them without question and then laid his head down in his nest.

"Also, do not leave this nest, and no one else besides me is permitted in here, do you understand? I don't want you getting anyone else sick." He pushed his way out of the ferns and headed straight for Brambleclaw.

"He has _what_!" Brambleclaw gaped at him in astonishment and horror. "I'll be very sure to keep everyone away; I promise." With that, Brambleclaw strode away to tell the Clan not to enter Firestar's den.

Jayfeather then went to the nursery to check in on Cinderheart and his kits.

"I need to warn all of you of something. Don't get near Firestar. He has blackcough." All of the queens gasped and pulled their kits closer to them.

"Really? Will he die?" Jayfeather looked at Poppyfrost, sorrow in his eyes.

"It's very likely that he will. But don't worry, he won't be gone forever. He still has some lives left." Jayfeather saw the faces of the queens relax as he reassured them that it would be all right.

"Who will bring him fresh-kill?" Jayfeather turned to Cinderheart.

"I will. I can't risk anyone else getting sick."

"But Jayfeather, if you get sick, we don't have a medicine cat!" He heard Poppyfrost's distressed mew from behind him. She was taking her kits out to doze in the sun.

"We still have Leafpool, and she's young enough to train another apprentice still. But it's my job to risk my life against sickness to help the Clan. Don't worry. With all the herbs I'm around, I won't get sick."

Sootkit bounded over to Jayfeather and nuzzled his chest. "I hope you don't get sick."

"Me either." Twigkit had walked over to him too, and was licking his paw.

"I told them." Cinderheart's voice was a whisper in his ear as she spoke. Jayfeather only nodded and looked down at his kits, nuzzling him affectionately.

"You know I love both of you very much, right?" The two kits nodded at him, their eyes sparkling. "Well, even though I'm proud of both of you, we can't tell anybody. It's against the rules for me to have kits. You need to pretend Lionblaze is your father, okay?"

"Why is it against the rules?" Sootkit looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

"Because it gets in the way of medicine cat duties. I'd claim both of you if I could, but I can't. So, do you understand that nobody can know; not even your best friends?" The kits nodded again and Twigkit ran outside, Sootkit trailing after her.

Jayfeather was pleased to see Twigkit getting on so well. His kits laid down beside the other two kits and he saw their breathing deepen into sleep.

He turned back to Cinderheart. She was purring.

"I'm very proud of them both, especially Twigkit. She's doing so well for only having three legs. It's a miracle," Jayfeather whispered.

"Well, I suppose it's easier to learn if you've been that way all your life as opposed to having to change." Cinderheart's mew was soft and gentle. Jayfeather loved it when she spoke that way.

Then some cat broke into the clearing, yowling.

"Firestar's dead!"


	9. Bramblestar's New Leadership

Jayfeather bolted to the leader's den and found his leader's body on the floor of the den. His body was cooling; Firestar had lost his last life. At least the traces of the sickness were gone from his body. They could hold a vigil for him.

"Is there anything I can do?" Brambleclaw's voice made him jump.

"He's lost his last life. Get some more warriors and take his body to the clearing. Holding a vigil is safe, the sickness has gone. Oh, and bring a couple extra warriors to clean out the bedding." Brambleclaw had waves of anguish rolling from him as he exited the den.

Jayfeather sighed and left the den, immediately heading for the herb store. He pulled out some skullcap seeds to give Brambleclaw so he could go to Moonpool as soon as possible.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting." Jayfeather heard confused mews break into sorrowful and distressed wails. Sandstorm's was especially loud as Jayfeather padded over to the Highledge.

"Firestar! No!" The she-cat nuzzled her dead mate, and Jayfeather reminded himself to give her some chamomile after the meeting was over.

"Cats of ThunderClan, Firestar has lost his last life to blackcough." Distressed mews broke out and a low wail came from Sandstorm. "But we will remain strong. Jayfeather has permitted a vigil since the sickness left his body with the life he lost. I shall travel to Moonpool as soon as I'm ready, and I'll choose a new deputy when I return."

With that, Brambleclaw jumped down from the ledge and Jayfeather gave him the bundle of skullcap seeds.

"Eat these before you go. They'll give you extra strength. Let me know when you're ready, but I've got to give Sandstorm some chamomile first."

He headed for the herb store and brought some chamomile back with him. Sandstorm was still sitting next to Firestar along with Squirrelflight and Leafpool. He dropped the herbs at her paws.

"Sandstorm, you need to eat these. They'll make you feel better." Sandstorm looked reluctant, and then nodded.

"If they'll make me feel better, then all right." She lapped up the tiny, dried flowers and then pressed her face back into Firestar's ginger fur. Brambleclaw was behind him when he turned around.

"I'm ready."

The two cats made their way to the Moonpool in silence. When they settled by the water, Jayfeather turned his head to Brambleclaw.

"Just take a little sip of water and then go to sleep. StarClan cats will visit you, each one being familiar faces of cats that meant a lot to you. The ninth will be delivered by Firestar. Good luck." Jayfeather lapped up a few droplets of the sparkling water, and drifted into sleep.

_He woke in the meadow where he'd met Hollyleaf before, but no cats were there to greet him. He looked around, bewildered and confused._

_Then, a whisper caught on the wind was carried into his ears._

_The bramble brings great strength, but the soot will be carried away on the wind, and only the thunder in the sky can save him…_

_Jayfeather laid back down and closed his eyes, hoping to dream of something else. But something about this ominous warning hung in the air, and Jayfeather couldn't get to sleep._

_He rose to his paws and bounded through the undergrowth, barely missing trees as he swerved. Then he broke into a clearing where all the StarClan cats were gathered._

_Yellowfang swung around and hissed at him._

"_This is Brambleclaw's leader ceremony! Go!" But a tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from the undergrowth._

"_Yellowfang, he needs to be here. He's giving Brambleclaw his eighth life." Yellowfang bristled._

"_Why, Spottedleaf, is this young medicine cat giving Brambleclaw his eighth life!" Spottedleaf only nudged Jayfeather forward and whispered in his ear._

"_Go. It's your turn. You're giving him the life of love." Jayfeather padded forward and stood a tail length in front of Brambleclaw._

"_Brambleclaw, I give you your eighth life: the life of love. With this life I give you forgiveness, pride, compassion and love to all who surround you." Jayfeather saw Brambleclaw's body jolt and he slammed his eyes shut, trying to fight the pain._

_When his body relaxed, Jayfeather stepped back. Spottedleaf whispered to him, "You aren't allowed to witness the rest. Come with me." He followed her to the clearing where he had awoken, and he settled down once again._

When he woke, Bramblestar was licking his chest fur. He looked like a whole different cat. Jayfeather rose to his paws and nodded to Bramblestar.

They set off towards the camp, taking the shortcut through the woods. Pretty soon, they had broken stride and were running through the forest, their tail streaming behind them.

When they entered camp, the vigil for Firestar was ending. Bramblestar buried his nose into his former leader's fur, and so did Jayfeather.

Mousefur and Purdy picked up the body and carried it out of camp. Jayfeather watched sadly as the noblest cat he'd ever met was carried out the thorn tunnel, never to be seen again.


	10. Where's My Kit?

Jayfeather entered the Nursery to the sounds of cooing and cheering and he saw Twigkit, climbing the Nursery walls. Sootkit, eager to impress everyone the way Twigkit was, started climbing too.

"Look, mommy!" Cinderheart barely heard Sootkit's mew over the cheering.

"Sootkit! Get down from there! A respectful kit doesn't climb the walls of the Nursery!" Sootkit frowned.

"Then why does Twigkit get to?"

"Because she… She…" Cinderheart struggles to find something to say, and when she can't, tries to change the subject. "Why don't you go get something to eat? Maybe Jayfeather could watch you for a bit?" The grey she-cat looks up at Jayfeather.

"Of course. Come on, Sootkit. Let's go share a mouse."

He lays his tail over the kit's shoulders and leads him out to the fresh-kill pile to let him pick out a mouse, and they retreat to Jayfeather's den to eat.

"Why is life so unfair! Mom lets Twigkit break the rules, but when I do the same stuff, she yells at me!" Sootkit frowns and rips at the mouse they chose.

"Well, Twigkit's-"

"Special; I know. Mom always tells me that. Just because she was born with three legs, she gets to do stuff that no one else does! If that's the case, I want only three legs, just so I'm treated the same!" Jayfeather lays his tail over Sootkit's back.

"Sootkit, I can't make you feel any better. But I can tell you that when I look at Twigkit, and then at you, I love you both the same, feel the same amount of pride for both of you, and I'll never treat either of you any differently than the other." Sootkit just eats more of the mouse, and then pushes the rest toward his father.

"Thanks." The gray kit goes back to the Nursery and slips inside. Jayfeather finishes the mouse and sniffs through the herb store, and while his nose is pushed into the marigold checking for useless petals, the sound of Cinderheart's voice startles him.

"Cinderheart! What can I do for you?"

"What in StarClan's name did you say to Sootkit! He won't even look at me anymore, and when I asked him why, he said, 'Dad said he won't treat Twigkit and I any different from each other, so I'm not going to look at anyone who doesn't do the same.' What were you thinking!"

"Cinderheart, I was only trying to make him feel better. But in all honesty, you do treat them differently." Jayfeather flinches when Cinderheart lunges forward and thrusts her face into his.

"No I do not!"

"Yes, you do. Just earlier you were letting Twigkit climb the Nursery walls, but when Sootkit did, you scolded him. That isn't right, even if Twigkit is crippled. She seems to be getting on like any other kit, so she should be treated like one, and if you don't scold her, I will." Cinderheart's jaw gapes at the medicine cat as what she hears sink in.

"No you will not! She needs special treatment to make her keep moving forward and making progress," Cinderheart argues.

"I will, and she doesn't need the special treatment. If you think she needs special exercises, build her something to use instead of letting her tear up the Nursery! Warriors won't appreciate it when they have to rebuild the Nursery because there's too much of a draft because some kit has been clawing it." When Cinderheart opens her mouth to object, Jayfeather adds, "Cinderheart, I have nothing else to say to you. Please go so I can do my work."

Cinderheart closes her mouth, and before she leaves, Jayfeather sees sadness and despair in her eyes. Pain stabs his heart like a thorn, and for a moment he contemplates going after her and apologizing, but he refrains. Instead, he finishes clearing the herb store of old herbs and takes inventory.

Time passes quickly and before Jayfeather knows it, the evening patrol is back and the Clan is readying for the evening meal before they go to their dens.

Jayfeather looks over at Sandstorm who had come down with a cough around sunhigh.

"What would you like from the fresh-kill pile?"

"Oh, Jayfeather, I can get it myself," Sandstorm offers.

"No, no. I was going to stuff your meal with some coltsfoot so it would go down easier. Coltsfoot can be a bit difficult to get down when you have a sore throat," Jayfeather explains to her.

"Oh, all right. I'll take whatever you find fit. Thank you." Jayfeather exits the den and heads for the fresh-kill pile. Cinderheart and the other queens were taking advantage of the last weak rays of sunshine, and a few warriors were gathered around the fresh-kill pile. The gray tom picks a plump vole off the pile and takes it back to the medicine den and stuffs it with a bit of Coltsfoot. He adds some honey so it will soothe her throat as well, and then gives the stuffed prey to Sandstorm.

"Thank you, Jayfeather. Will this make me feel better?" Sandstorm queries.

"It should. The Coltsfoot will help your cough, and the honey will help soothe your throat." Jayfeather goes back to the fresh-kill pile and picks a mouse for himself. He decides to eat it in the clearing for a change, and he finishes his prey in a few famished gulps.

Jayfeather watches the queens as they go back to the Nursery after the last rays of sunlight diminish.

He also thinks about the Gathering tomorrow, and what news might be presented there. His heart lurches when he recognizes the voice yowling from the Nursery.

"My kit! Where's my kit!" Cinderheart races out of the Nursery and turns to look straight at Jayfeather. "Sootkit's missing!"


	11. Mark My Words

Jayfeather bolted to the Nursery, yelling orders as he went.

"Ferncloud, take another cat with you and search around the Nursery! Dustpelt, round up some warriors and check for any scents that might have a trail! Lionblaze, get some help and… I don't know, just do something!"

He burst through the Nursery entrance and took a wild look around. There was no sign of a fight, but there was a hole in the corner of the den with some dark gray fur caught in the branches. There was a heap of leaves and grass to try to conceal the hole, but the job was poorly done in obvious haste.

Jayfeather wanted to cry, and his heart sank. He knew Sootkit was gone, and he didn't know if he'd ever see the bright-eyed kit again.

Dustpelt's voice from behind made him jump.

"We found traces of a scent," Dustpelt's eyes darkened with sadness and sympathy when Jayfeather looked at him hopefully, "but it was concealed with mud. I'm sorry, I know Sootkit meant a lot to you."

"More than you know," Jayfeather mumbled as he fought back wails of grief. "Thank you, Dustpelt. Is there any way to track the mud scent?"

"No. It ended quite abruptly at the edge of the camp, as if they rubbed it off. There was a large supply of mud on some ferns nearby, too. I'm sorry, we tried everything we could." Dustpelt apologized over and over.

"It's all right. I know the whole Clan tried as hard as they could," Jayfeather said. He knew Dustpelt might be getting suspicious about why he cared so much, so he added, "I just saw great potential in him. It's such a tragic loss for the Clan. There's still a chance he'll be found; after all, the Gathering is tomorrow, and I'm sure Bramblestar will address it with the other Clans." Dustpelt nodded and left to create a search party to look for the little kit.

"Oh, Jayfeather, what will I do without him?" Cinderheart sobbed into his shoulder fur.

"It'll be okay; we'll find him." He licked the top of her head comfortingly to try to calm her down. "It's not the first time a kit's been stolen, and other kits in the past have been returned safely."

"But what if he isn't found? What if he grows up in another Clan like Mistystar and Stonefur, and then we meet in battle someday, and then the moment after he slices my throat, we lock eyes and he recognizes me, and I recognize him, just before my eyes close for the last time?" Cinderheart's in a panic now, and Jayfeather takes her to the medicine den.

"Calm down. That won't happen. Here, eat these," he pushes some chamomile and lavender stems toward the she-cat. She eats them without thinking about it, and Jayfeather settles her into a nest to let her rest.

"They'll find him."

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Dustpelt's search party came back after dawn; they'd been out so long that they did the dawn patrol on their way back. They had found nothing but a tuft of gray fur and a kit's footprint in some dried mud. Unfortunately, it was directly in the center of the territory, so they didn't have any hint as to which Clan stole the kit. Whoever it was, they were very clever.

Jayfeather had kept the bit of fur found on the branches in the Nursery as a keepsake incase he never saw Sootkit again. It was a sad thought that Cinderheart had brought to his mind, but what if Sootkit _did_ end up like Mistystar and Stonefur-nearly killing their own mother? What if he grew up and forgot Jayfeather, his own secret father? He could never live with himself if all the love and memories they shared were lost forever, never to be reminisced.

Jayfeather had escaped to the herb store after the news arrived to weep. He felt hopeless and lost, much like Sootkit, wherever he was now. He only came out to eat at sunhigh, and he was fully planning on going back after, but Cinderheart had stopped him.

"No more weeping. You need to deal with this like everyone else is. I know he meant a lot to you, but he did to me too. Please, just give it a little time before you jump to the conclusion that he's gone forever. The Gathering is tonight, and I'm sure some clues will come from that." Cinderheart's tail swept over his back, and then she was gone, slipping out the entrance to camp without a care…

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Jayfeather waited as Bramblestar rounded up the cats going to the Gathering, and every cat going looked anxious to see how the night turned out, while every cat not going looked disappointed while they asked their friends to tell them everything when they got back.

Bramblestar lead the cats through the fern tunnel and into the forest. Every cat was extra alert for any signs of the missing Sootkit, but no one found anything by the time they reached the fallen tree-bridge.

Jayfeather crossed second after Bramblestar. The rest of the Clan followed after, with the new deputy, Cloudtail, crossing last. All the cats poured into the clearing, and Jayfeather saw many of his clanmates shoot hostile glares at the other cats; the other three Clans had already arrived.

Bramblestar leaped onto the branch where Firestar used to sit and nodded to Blackstar to start the Gathering.

The white tom yowled to let every cat know the Gathering was starting. The clearing fell silent as Blackstar shared some small news about ShadowClan. They'd had a litter of three kits born during the night a quarter moon ago; Jayfeather was sure they thought it was a good omen to have kits born to their Clan during the time of shadows.

Then Mistystar reported spotting a fox on their territory and that it had crossed onto ShadowClan territory. Blackstar nodded to acknowledge their information, and Mistystar finished her report quickly.

Onestar went next. He reported nothing out of the ordinary, and ended with, "Prey is running well," as all Clan leaders did when they had nothing else to report.

Finally, it came to Bramblestar's turn. He stepped forward slightly and raised his head proudly.

"ThunderClan has suffered a tragic loss. Our leader, Firestar, lost his last life less than a half moon ago. He was a noble and respected leader, and I know I won't ever forget him." Cats from all Clans in the crowd began to murmur Firestar's name loudly, and then quieter, and quieter, until the murmurs ended.

"We've also had a litter of kits born to us. Cinderheart delivered two beautiful kit's a little less than a moon ago. They're developing quickly, and they'll make fine young apprentices when they're older. But recently, one of the kits has gone missing; however, I don't believe 'missing' is the right word. I think 'kitnapped' is a better word." Yowls of protest came from the other Clans as what Bramblestar was saying sunk in.

"Why would any of us want a _ThunderClan_ kit!"

"We have our own kits! We don't need yours!"

"If it's Cinderheart's kit, why would _any_ cat want it?" Brackenfur bristled at the cat who had said this, and was ready to leap on him when Sorreltail calmed him down and led him away.

"I'm not saying anyone in this clearing took him, I'm just saying we found scent trails covered by mud scent in the camp, large amounts of mud on the edge of the fern tunnel, and a kit's paw print where the scent trail ended. I want Sootkit back, and I want him _now_." The leaders stared at Bramblestar and hissed with fury.

"You're the newest leader of a Clan, and you dare to come here an accuse us of stealing a kit from your Clan! You're a mouse-brain," Blackstar spat.

"Now now, everyone calm down!" The clearing quieted with Mistystar's yowl of disapproval. "Bramblestar, I know you're angry-"

"Furious," Bramblestar corrected.

"-but this isn't the right way to go about things."

"Then how do I go about finding who stole the kit, hmm, Mistystar the Wise?" Bramblestar mocked her tone. "There is no other way. I just want to let everyone know, we will find out where he's gone, and then we'll invade without any warning. Just watch out." Bramblestar glared at the cats in the clearing.

"Mark my words, there will be revenge."


	12. This Is The Only Way

Every cat was stiffened with a mixture of anticipation and fear. No cat wanted to start a battle in the dead of leafbare. Food was already short, and a battle would scare any remaining prey away.

When they returned to the camp, cats emerged from their nests to crowd around their friends and receive the latest gossip. Bramblestar and Cloudtail clearly weren't concerned about sharing the information tonight, though, because the two cats went to their dens without a word.

Cinderheart came from the Nursery with small twigs tangled in her fur and found Jayfeather. She hurried over to him.

"Any news about Sootkit?" Her voice was hopeful, yet Jayfeather could tell she knew his answer.

"No, but Bramblestar is pretty worked up. He told all the Clans to be ready, because we're going to find out where he went, and there will be revenge," Jayfeather told her.

"This is horrible! The Clans are going to suffer because someone stole a kit! No one wants a fight in leafbare!"

"I know, now go get some rest. Twigkit still needs you." Cinderheart nodded and padded away. Jayfeather watched her until her tail disappeared into the Nursery.

He tried to pass the time by playing with the kits, fetching new moss, and gathering herbs, but nothing distracted him from the future for very long. In fact, they only reminded him more of it.

When he was playing with the kits, Cherrykit had yowled at Molekit during their play-fight, "Don't you dare steal a kit from ThunderClan again!"

And when he was fetching moss, he ran into a hunting patrol of apprentices. They were mewing back and forth, but Jayfeather only caught, "I can't wait 'til I get to show some other apprentices not to mess with ThunderClan!"

But the most terrifying was when he was collecting herbs by the lake. He looked across the water and saw a RiverClan cat by the lake on the opposite shore. The cat shot a hostile glare at him and bared their teeth before they left into the brush. Soon after, a WindClan cat came out by the lake and yowled some threats at him. Didn't these cats know he was a medicine cat!

Jayfeather reluctantly started to gather some herbs in preparation for a battle. He huddled the strong-smelling herbs in the corner and covered them with some foxglove leaves.

The camp was bustling outside. Warriors were busy strengthening the Nursery and the barriers guarding the tunnels. Queens were going over safety procedures with their kits if a battle should arise-and they all knew it would. The apprentices were out hunting to build up the fresh-kill pile, and the elders were lazing around with no task for them.

Jayfeather bristled with fear. The whole Clan was preparing for a battle! The last thing he wanted were battle-hungry cats around the camp. They'd be difficult with treatment if they needed it, stubborn, and act all heroic when they've done nothing to deserve it until their thirst for blood was quenched.

Even though he wanted Sootkit back just as badly as everyone else, he still couldn't see the sense in an attack. A raid might be more successful, since Bramblestar would plan it strategically. If it was up to Jayfeather, they'd send the minimum amount of cats to the next Gathering to raise no suspicions, and send the remainder of cats in camp-excluding the queens, kits, elders, and himself, of course-to raid the most suspicious Clan's camp.

But that would be a lot of work, and they'd need to do a lot of prying with cats of the other Clans before then, and that would surely raise suspicions.

Every idea that came to mind had something wrong with it, and it only made him more hopeless and worried.

A low sigh escaped him, and a voice from behind startled him.

"Jayfeather? Is something bothering you?" Hazeltail took a few cautious steps into the medicine den.

"Well, I just don't see the sense in starting a fight in the middle of leaf bare-"

"But Jayfeather, someone stole a kit!" Hazeltail looked at him, shocked that he didn't understand that a kit was very important to the Clan.

"I know. I just think we should send a few cats to sneak into the nursery of each Clan and check for Sootkit, or send a raid to the most suspicious Clan's camp." Hazeltail laughed at Jayfeather's suggestion.

"Nurseries are too well guarded for that to work, and a raiding party would only make things worse, and a battle would still be the end result. Trust me," she paused.

"This is the only way to get Sootkit back."


	13. Fighting For Sootkit

The Clan was preparing for two things tonight. One was the Gathering that Cloudtail, Spiderleg, Dustpelt, Berrynose, Hazeltail, Brackenfur, Sorreltail, Sandstorm, Bumblestripe, Blossomfall, Birchfall, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw would be attending. The other was the battle that ThunderClan and WindClan would be having.

During the moon that they'd been preparing, a hunting patrol saw a small gray cat walking on the moorland with another gray cat. But only the apprentices saw it, so it was doubted that it was Sootkit.

But Bramblestar said that it was the only lead they had, so they were going to act upon it.

Every cat that wasn't going to the Gathering-except the elders, queens, and kits-were going to be in the battle. Hopefully, if they had planned it right, WindClan would bring most of their cats to the Gathering to warn us to leave them alone, and we'd have an easy battle. But if they planned it wrong, WindClan would leave many warriors at camp incase ThunderClan tried anything.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" Bramblestar was on Highledge. Every cat turned to listen to what he had to say. "I'm very proud to have loyal warriors to stand behind me and protect this Clan and fight for it's honor."

The crowd yowled in approval.

"Whether you are going to the Gathering," he motioned to the cats grouped together that were going to the Gathering, "the battle," he motioned to the other cats, "or staying here, you are all loyal members of ThunderClan, and I'm very proud to lead such a noble Clan."

The clearing erupted in cheers.

"All right. Icecloud, since you'll blend in with the snow, you'll go with the cats to the Gathering and see if WindClan is there yet. If not, wait until they are and then leave. You need to report back to the raid party and tell us approximately how many WindClan cats are there." Icecloud nodded, accepting her job.

"Jayfeather, you will stay here. Everyone going to the Gathering will say that some cats are ill and Jayfeather couldn't come." Some cats in the clearing sounded confused, so Bramblestar cleared it up. "The other Clans will think we're too weak to attack, and then relax. That will make them less likely to strain to listen for any problems on their territories."

The previously confused cats nodded to show their understanding.

"All right. Let's move out. The raiding party will hide in the undergrowth near the WindClan border-but not so close that they will know we're there if they come by." Bramblestar led both groups out into the forest, and then split off towards the WindClan border, while Cloudtail led his group farther towards the shore before walking along the water's edge to the Gathering.

Jayfeather snuck along with the raiding party to watch the battle and to help cats who needed immediate treatment.

The cats sat eerily still while they waited for Icecloud to report. Then, she came slinking through the bushes. Jayfeather overheard her speaking to Bramblestar.

"WindClan is at the Gathering." Bramblestar looked hopeful.

"How many cats were there?"

"I'd say it was their normal group. About 16 cats, I'd say." Jayfeather saw Bramblestar nearly jump for joy. He turned to the raiding party.

"The job is not to get them to run away; it is to pin down _every_ cat in the camp and demand to know where Sootkit is. The cats not occupied by restraining a cat will search the camp for Sootkit. Is anyone confused on the plan?" No cat spoke up.

"Okay then. Weaker cats, pair up with another cat, or you'll be overthrown." Some of the smaller, daintier cats paired up, including Leafpool; smart idea on her part.

Even though she'd been working for moons on becoming a warrior, she still wasn't a very good one.

"Ready?" Every cat nodded. "Three… Two… One… ATTACK!"

It looked like a dam had burst and water was surging down the hillside as the cats raced down toward the camp. The WindClan cats looked shocked to see them, and the few in camp were down to the ground easily.

Keeping them down was the hard part.

The WindClan cats fought back with such ferociousness that it frightened Jayfeather, who was staying on the hilltop. The valley writhed like the lake during a storm.

He noticed that the battle was raging on the opposite side of the camp that the nursery was on. His paws carried him down towards the nursery, but he was bowled over by Tornear, a senior warrior.

"Where do you think you're going?" His ear stung when a sharp claw sliced through it. "Off to steal a kit?" Tornear sneered at him.

"Leave me alone! I'm a medicine cat!" His left ear rung, drowning out the noises of battle in the clearing. He felt something warm and sticky ooze out of his ear and down the side of his head.

"Then why are you here and not at the Gathering?" Jayfeather wondered why no one was helping him.

Then he saw why. They were only doing as Bramblestar had said. Only one WindClan cat other than Tornear wasn't pinned down, and three ThunderClan warriors were chasing him.

"Thornclaw!" The ginger tom stopped chasing the other cat, which confused her long enough for the two ThunderClan cats to get her pinned down.

Thornclaw tackled Tornear and pinned him down easily.

"Don't you know not to attack a medicine cat?" He slammed his sheathed paw into the side of Tornear's head. Tornear hissed and writhed under the weight of the ginger ThunderClan tom, but he was unable to get free.

A soft, begging mew came from behind Jayfeather, and at first, all he saw was a black and white WindClan tom. But as he looked closer, he saw a small gray kit dangling from the tom's jaws. The terrifying thing was that the kit was hanging over a cliff, and Jayfeather nearly bowled the tom over the edge of the cliff in a fit of pure rage and insanity when he recognized the pleading kit's face.

"It's Sootkit!"


	14. Breezepelt And Cinderheart: Gone Forever

Breezepelt sneered at Jayfeather.

"Sootkit told me that he means more to you than anyone else. Is that so?" Jayfeather snarled.

"How did you get him? He was safe in the nursery when he went missing!" Breezepelt laughed and slapped his tail over Sootkit's mouth to quiet his yowls of unhappiness.

"That shall remain a mystery… But, why does Sootkit mean more to you than his father or his mother?" Jayfeather saw Lionblaze stiffen, and Cinderheart snarled.

"Jayfeather can feel however he wants about Sootkit! It's none of your business!" Cinderheart yowled in frustration.

"Oh, but it _is_ ThunderClan's business to know why, correct?" Breezepelt yowled in pain and looked down at Sootkit, who was biting his tail. He ripped his tail from his mouth and hissed at him.

"Why does it matter? I just see great medicine cat potential in him, that's all," Jayfeather stated. He tried to make it so believable that even _he_ would believe it, but it didn't fool Breezepelt.

"Jayfeather, I'm not a mouse-brain. You should know better than to try to pull one over on your half-brother." Breezepelt narrowed his eyes. "I don't think Sootkit should be hanging around Leafpool, Jayfeather. What if he makes the same mistakes she did? You know, have a forbidden love, then have kits with them, and lie to the whole Clan…?"

Jayfeather knew at that instant what it would take to get Breezepelt to return the kit.

"Breezepelt, don't do this-"

"Do what? Ask you to hide nothing from your Clan? I think they deserve to know all your secrets, Jayfeather. Unless you're not loyal to the Warrior code…" Sootkit began to squirm in Breezepelt's grasp.

"I have no secrets to hide," Jayfeather hissed.

"Oh, Jayfeather, I know you do. One as big and almost as bad as your mother's. And if you don't want to share it with all of us, then I'm afraid Sootkit will have to pay the price of your disloyalty for you-"

"No!" Cinderheart bounded forward and was about to tackle Breezepelt, but Jayfeather stopped her just before she could make contact and send all four of them off the cliff.

"Jayfeather! You can't just let him throw our kit off the cliff!"

"Cinderheart, could you repeat yourself and speak up a little more this time?" Cinderheart's face went grim and utterly distraught.

"I-I said, 'Jayfeather! You can't just let him throw my kit off the cliff!" Breezepelt shook his head.

"Now Cinderheart, don't lie. I know you said 'our', not 'my'." Every cat in the clearing gasped. "Isn't that what you said?" Breezepelt picked up Sootkit and dangled him over the cliff's edge.

"Yes. I did say 'our'. But I meant Lionblaze and I by 'our'." Breezepelt gave her a look that warned her to tell the truth.

"Alright. I meant Jayfeather and I by 'our'. Jayfeather is Sootkit's father, as well as Twigkit's." Breezepelt smiled happily as the clearing erupted with gasps and insults directed at ThunderClan.

"Now, being truthful feels good, doesn't it?" He put Sootkit down and he ran to Jayfeather. He climbed onto his father's back and held on for dear life.

"Cats of ThunderClan, we will remain here until WindClan returns and we can speak to Onestar." The WindClan cats were released and ThunderClan crowded into a corner of the valley.

Cinderheart remained in a face-off with Breezepelt.

"How dare you steal my kit! Why don't you just have your own? Oh, wait, I know why! It's because you're too big of a fox-hearted, flea-ridden, crowfoot-eating mange-pelt for any she-cat to like you and want to have kits with you!" Breezepelt hissed at her.

"I could get a mate if I wanted one!" Cinderheart snorted.

"No you couldn't! The only cat who'd ever mate with you is your father!" Breezepelt flashed a paw out, narrowly missing Cinderheart's eye. "You stole my kit because you have issues with Crowfeather, didn't you!"

"Never!"

"Yes. You thought that since you hate your father, Sootkit should, hate his too when the whole clan turns against Jayfeather. Plus, you have problems with your half-siblings, so you want to see them suffer, too!"

Breezepelt snarled and sat down, looking like he'd given up.

The clearing sat in silence except for a few muttered insults and whispered thoughts about what had just happened.

It seemed like the time dragged on, maybe like something had happened at the Gathering that made it longer.

Jayfeather looked at the sky, but there weren't any clouds near the moon, so everything must've been fine. Perhaps one Clan had showed up a bit late, so they'd had to wait.

Just when ThunderClan was feeling restless in the open, WindClan came hurtling over the hill, yowling.

"What is ThunderClan doing in our camp!" Onestar's voice raised above all the others.

"We needed to speak to you before we left." Bramblestar stood and approached Onestar. "We came to take our missing kit back."

"I told you, we don't have him!"

"You did. Breezepelt had him." Bramblestar's eyes showed a bit of shock when Onestar's eyes widened with surprise. "You didn't know, did you?"

"No. I would have given him back. A ThunderClan kit is of no use to us. He wouldn't hunt right on the moorland if he is born to a forest-loving Clan." Onestar shook his head. "Honestly."

"Well, we got him, but we figured we better tell you before we left."

"Well, then go home now." Bramblestar nodded and turned to leave, but something distracted the ThunderClan cats.

Jayfeather heard yowling behind him, and he turned around just in time to see Breezepelt say something before Cinderheart secured her teeth in his scruff and pushed off the ground with her back legs.

That was the last time Jayfeather saw her alive.


	15. I'll Never Forget You

"Cinderheart!" Jayfeather bounded over to the edge and barely stopped before he went over the edge. "Cinderheart!"

The two bodies laid unmoving on the hard ground below.

"Cinderheart!" Jayfeather broke down into a crying, sobbing mess. Leafpool approached him. "Just leave me alone!"

"Jayfeather, I know what you're going through right now-" Jayfeather cut her off.

"No you don't! Your forbidden love didn't die!" Leafpool shook her head sadly and crouched next to him. She licked his ears comfortingly.

"No, but he might as well have. I never see him, or speak to him, and I will never think about him without feeling sad. Jayfeather, she died in honor of you and your kit. She was not about to let Breezepelt speak to you or any other cat the way he was, so she silenced him forever." Jayfeather was still bawling.

"But she silenced herself, too! What about our kits? They need their mother," Jayfeather cried.

"I know, Jayfeather. But she died for her kits. If Breezepelt stole one, why not steal the other? She wasn't about to leave her kits in danger," Leafpool explained. Bramblestar padded toward Jayfeather and whispered in his ear.

"Jayfeather, let's get her body and take her back to camp. We'll hold a proper vigil," he looked around the clearing, "for ThunderClan only. WindClan don't need to see this."

"Right," Jayfeather sniffled. He stood and found a way down to Cinderheart's body safely. Before anyone could see him, he checked her body for a pulse.

But she was in StarClan now. Jayfeather buried his face in her fur and cried softly.

"I will always love you, Cinderheart. I promise I'll make our kit's the best cats in the history of the Clans. And I'll do it all for you." He hooked his teeth in her scruff, and Lionblaze and Sandstorm helped him, too.

Then Jayfeather saw Crowfeather in the corner of his eye coming over to him.

"I'm sorry about my son. I'd like to help carry her body back with you please." Jayfeather was weary, but he saw true sadness and regret in Crowfeather's eyes, so he nodded.

"Let me make sure Bramblestar's okay with it." He bounded over to his leader and asked permission. Bramlestar nodded, so Jayfeather returned to Crowfeather and his dead mate.

"Bramblestar says it's fine." The four cats picked up the gray she-cat and took her back to ThunderClan camp. They set her body in the middle of the clearing and stared at it for a few seconds.

"I'm so sorry, son." Jayfeather looked at Crowfeather in surprise.

"W-what?" Crowfeather looked embarrassed.

"I just called you 'son', that's all. I won't if you don't want me to." Jayfeather was too touched to decline Crowfeather's offer for peace between them.

"I don't mind, father." Crowfeather smiled and licked his ear affectionately before he left. Jayfeather was left alone by Cinderheart's body to grieve before the whole Clan would sit for vigil.

He knelt down beside her and shared tongues with her for a while. He reminisced memories of the first time they met, and when they first said they loved each other. But the best memory he shared with her was when she was expecting his kits.

He relived the moments of sneaking into the forest with her to check on the kits that were growing inside her so he could be affectionate while he did.

"And I remember when I was so scared that you would die in birth as my punishment that I collected every herb that might come in handy." Jayfeather purred. "I'm so glad you didn't."

He talked with her about all the times Twigkit would make progress with her three legs, and he whispered into her ear that she would become an apprentice at six moons old like every other kit.

"I'm so proud of her-and Sootkit. You know, he always loved you, no matter what he did or said. Don't ever forget that the three of us will always love you, no matter what. I hope I'll see you in StarClan soon, my dear." He looked up when Dovepaw and Ivypaw knelt next to Cinderheart, too.

"Is it okay if we start the vigil now?" Dovepaw asked.

"We were about to go to sleep, so we thought we'd come over here." Ivypaw's green eyes stared into his, and he nodded. "Thanks, Jayfeather."

They laid their muzzles close to her ear and shared tongues with her quietly. Jayfeather smiled, happy to know that even though Cinderheart had broken the warrior code, the Clan would still miss and respect her.

He fetched Twigkit and Sootkit, which were sobbing in the Nursery. Ferncloud was happy that Jayfeather showed up to take them, since she couldn't get them to stop crying.

"Thanks, Jayfeather. I'm going to go sit vigil for Cinderheart now."

"That's where I'm taking the kits. I think they should say goodbye." Ferncloud nodded, and Jayfeather returned to the vigil with them.

"Kits, why don't you say goodbye and tell your mommy how much you love her? She can still hear you, so you go ahead and talk to her all night if you want." Twigkit and Sootkit nodded sadly and settled down next to their mother.

Jayfeather thought he heard a voice as smooth as honey and soft as a feather in his ear.

"I love you, Jayfeather." Jayfeather smiled.

"I love you too, Cinderheart. I'll never forget you."

I am going to make a sequel about Sootkit's and Twigkit's lives after their mother's death. Make sure to subscribe to me so you'll receive an alert when I post the first chapter! Thank you so much to all my fans! I can only hope my next FanFiction will be as good as this one seemed to be.


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